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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Launches Capital Prep Charter School with Dr. Steve Perry in Harlem

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Launches Capital Prep Charter School with Dr. Steve Perry in Harlem

By goodblacknews on March 28, 2016

Sean "Diddy" Combs (photo via getty images)
Sean “Diddy” Combs (photo via getty images)

article by Cristie Leondis via blackenterprise.com
NEW YORK (AP) — He’s been a rapper, actor, singer, entrepreneur, record producer and clothing designer. Now Sean “Diddy” Combs has taken on a new job as the founder of a charter school in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood.
Combs announced Monday that the new school will be named Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School and it will open in the fall, according to the Associated Press. The venture has been in the works for five years.  The school will be overseen by Capital Prep leader and founder Dr. Steve Perry, who started Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2005.
Dr. Steve Perry (photo via chocolatevoice.com)
Dr. Steve Perry (photo via chocolatevoice.com)

Combs and the board have hired Orlando, Florida-based educator Danita Jones as the principal of Capital Prep Harlem.  Combs says creating the school is “a dream come true.”  In addition, Combs and Perry have been meeting in secret with community leaders and experts in education to build the program.
The school’s board also includes author and spiritual life coach Dr. Iyanla Vanzant, who has worked with Oprah Winfrey in the past.
According to Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School’s official website, the school is a free, public school for children grades 6-12. The extensive program will provide a “year-round, college preparatory education.” College courses will also be available to the students once they reach high school.
For the opening year, 160 students are to be enrolled in 6th and 7th grades. The deadline to apply for the upcoming school year is April 1st.
To read more, go to: http://www.blackenterprise.com/news/sean-diddy-combs-launches-charter-school-in-harlem/

Drake & Rihanna Visit Make-A-Wish Foundation Cancer Patient in Miami

By goodblacknews on March 20, 2016
Drake & Rihanna Visit Make-A-Wish Foundation Cancer Patient Together
Drake and Rihanna (photo via hiphopdx.com)
“BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!,” Megan’s Instagram video of herself and Drake captioned. “I MET THE LOML (Love of my life). He was so sweet & down to earth. Gave me and my family some OVO clothing. BEST DAY EVER. NO LIE. @champagnepapi LOVE YOU!”


Social media posts document Drake and Rihanna sharing the moment with Megan at the hospital. Instagram pictures and a Snapchat video show the 6 God hanging out with her as well.
“This is the best snapchat I’ve ever done before,” the Views from the 6 rapper says in the Snapchat video with Megan.  Drizzy performed “Work” with the Bajan singer at Miami’s American Airlines arena that evening.

“Work” has spent four weeks at the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.  The ANTIsinger is the only artist with #1 Hot 100 singles from seven consecutive studio albums and the third artist with the most #1 singles, totaling 14, surpassing Michael Jackson’s record of 13.

Drizzy’s forthcoming album Views from the 6 is scheduled to be released April 16.

To see more social media posts of Drake and Rihanna’s Make-A-Wish Foundation visit with Megan, go to: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.37984/title.drake-rihanna-visit-make-a-wish-foundation-cancer-patient-together

Q-Tip Named Kennedy Center's 1st Artistic Director of Hip-Hop

By goodblacknews on March 8, 2016

Q-Tip (photo via eurweb.com)
Q-Tip (photo via eurweb.com)

article by Maeve McDermott via usatoday.com
Before last year, Kennedy Center hosting hip hop shows seemed like an unlikely prospect.
But after hosting Kendrick Lamar’s sold-out performance with the National Symphony Orchestra last year, the center’s 2016 season includes its first hip hop culture series, bringing on rapper and producer Q-Tip as their first artistic director of hip hop.
The social justice-oriented rapper is best known as a founding member of the seminal hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and has worked with many of music’s biggest names, including Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, the Beastie Boys, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige and Pharrell Williams.
The Kennedy Center, which celebrates John F. Kennedy’s 100th birthday this year, announced details of six events celebrating different facets of hip hop culture, including a poetry slam, a teach-in and a dance competition. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and soprano Renee Fleming were also appointed at-large artistic advisers for the 2016-2017 season, according to the AP.
“This new programmatic platform recognizes Hip Hop’s contributions to global culture and its role in promoting values such as courage, freedom, justice, and service,” the center announced in a release.
To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/03/08/q-tip-named-kennedy-center-first-hip-hop-director/81485882/

New Collection of Kendrick Lamar Music Appears Online

By goodblacknews on March 5, 2016

2016 ESSENCE Festival Lineup Revealed: Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, Maxwell, and More!

By goodblacknews on March 1, 2016

ESSENCE Festival 2016article by Taylor Lewis via essence.com

It’s four months out from this year’s ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, and ESSENCE has just revealed its first look at the 2016 lineup.

For the 22nd year, ESSENCE Fest is bringing sure-to-be-lit nighttime concerts featuring more than 30 of today’s hottest hip-hop and R&B stars. This year’s lineup is a mix of old and new: soul and R&B, hip hop and pop—from Kendrick Lamar to Mariah Carey to Maxwell to Lion Babe.
“The ESSENCE Festival is back in New Orleans with an extraordinary roster of the biggest names and best performers in entertainment—from global music icons to the industry’s rising stars,” said ESSENCE President Michelle Ebanks. “We are welcoming Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar and Maxwell to headline the Superdome main stage. In addition, we will be embracing newcomers like Leon Bridges, Jeremih, Lion Babe, Dej Loaf and The Internet, as well as fan favorite Charlie Wilson for the ultimate cultural experience in New Orleans this July 4th weekend.”
Click through to see a full list of performers, and be sure to check back for updates.
Get your tickets here.
To read original article, go to: http://www.essence.com/2016/03/01/2016-essence-festival-lineup-revealed-kendrick-mariah-maxwell-oh-my

VH1 Orders Hip-Hop Film "The Breaks" to TV Series

By goodblacknews on February 16, 2016

"The Breaks" on VH1

article by eurweb via blackamericaweb.com

VH1 has given a huge break to hip-hop drama “The Breaks.”  After airing as a TV movie and possible back door pilot, the cable network has ordered it as a series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film follows the journey of Nikki, David and DeeVee, three friends united by their love of hip-hop, as they work to blow up in the music industry. The film begins in summer 1990 in New York, where the industry’s artists and hustlers intersect in the dance clubs and the street corners of the still crime-ridden city. But they all soon discover lives can be broken as fast as legends can be born.
“The Breaks” is based on Dan Charnas’ best-selling book “The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop,” considered one of the most comprehensive accounts of the history and business of hip-hop, notes THR. The book spans 40 years of stories and was culled from more than 300 interviews with execs, entrepreneurs, hustlers and handlers.
“The Breaks” aired in January and currently ranks as the No. 2 cable original movie of the year among adults 18-49, 18-34 and women in both demos. The January premiere and immediate encore collected a combined 2.6 million total viewers, propelling VH1 to a 42 percent gain among adults under 50 in January.
Wood Harris (The Wire), Mack (Tristan) Wilds (90210), Afton Williamson (Banshee), David Call (Gossip Girl), Antoine Harris (Ballers) and Method Man starred in the TV movie. Most are expected to return for the series.
DJ Premier composed the score and served as executive music producer.

Kendrick Lamar, the Pride of Compton, CA, Receives Key to the City

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2016
(image via eurweb.com)
(image via blackamericaweb.com)

article by Brittny Mejia via latimes.com

The city of Compton honored rapper Kendrick Lamar today by presenting him the key to the city.  The ceremony honoring the Grammy Award winner who grew up in the city took place at 10 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Monument at Civic Center Plaza.
“Kendrick Lamar is a phenomenal artist whose work has served as a catalyst to raise a new level of consciousness for this generation,” said Compton Mayor Aja Brown in a statement. “His message challenges the status quo and motivates listeners to rethink our society’s institutions.”
Last year, Lamar wrote a love letter to Compton through his music video “King Kunta,” featuring the rapper and his friends dancing through his hometown. The key to the city is Compton’s reply to that letter.
Lamar attended Centennial High School as a teenager, where he was a straight-A student, according to city officials. Last year, he served as the 63rd grand marshal of the Compton Christmas Parade.   The “Kunta” video was filled with scenes from the city, including the Compton Swap Meet, also known as the Compton Fashion Center.
“Kendrick Lamar is one of Compton’s greatest ambassadors,” said City Councilwoman Janna Zurita. “We in Compton are proud of him because he is a symbol of what our city really is — a place where dreams can come true.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRK7PVJFbS8&w=560&h=315]

Will Smith “Definitely Doing” “Bad Boys 3” With Martin Lawrence

By goodblacknews on February 8, 2016
Will Smith “Definitely Doing” “Bad Boys 3” With Martin Lawrence

article by Danielle Harling via hiphopdx.com

Will Smith says he “may have gone too far” with the amount of freedom of expression given to his children, talks Bad Boys sequel.

During an interview with BBC Radio 1Xtra’s A.Dot, actor Will Smith was asked about his family, specifically his children and the freedom of expression they’re given. In response, Smith jokingly stated that “we may have gone too far.”
He later spoke on his son, Jaden Smith, who was recently featured in a campaign for Louis Vuitton’s new, womenswear collection.
“There’s a really powerful, internal quality as an artist that as parents we encourage,” Will Smith said. “You gotta get out on the edge. You have to try things. You have to be comfortable doing things that people don’t agree with. And you have to be comfortable doing things that you could fail. And Jaden is one-hundred percent fearless. He will do anything. So, as a parent it’s scary. It’s really terrifying. But he is completely willing to live and die by his own artistic decisions. And he just doesn’t concern himself with what people think.”
Smith later revealed that he was unable to star in the upcoming, Independence Day sequel because of his schedule. He also stated that after seeing fellow actor Martin Lawrence for the first time in two years, a Bad Boys sequel is “definitely” happening.
To read more, go to: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.37395/title.will-smith-definitely-doing-bad-boys-3-with-martin-lawrence

Beyoncé Announces The Formation World Tour; Launches Initiative to Help Flint Water Crisis

By goodblacknews on February 8, 2016

Beyonce Dancers for NOW 020816
Beyoncé mid-slay with dancers at yesterday’s Super Bowl Halftime Show (photo via colorlines.com)

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)
Something tells me we will soon have to invent a new way to say “slay,” because if the boss moves perpetrated in the last two days by Beyoncé have shown us anything, they’ve shown us she has every intention of erecting on top of the foundation she laid with 2013’s “Beyoncé” an impenetrable Fortress of Slayage where the word will soon retire itself (because really, where else has it to go?).
To recap, not only did Queen Bey the day before the Super Bowl drop her “Formation” video – which the internet is still feverishly and giddily unpacking – she performed it at halftime, paid homage to the Black Panthers in the Bay Area on their 50th anniversary during the 50th Super Bowl, paid homage to Malcolm X with her squad’s literal formation, and then claimed the commercial space right after halftime to announce her Formation World Tour, which kicks off April 27 in Miami.  Phew!  No wonder “slay” is ready for a permanent vacation.
According to usatoday.com, the Formation World Tour will be hitting cities nationwide including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia. It ends June 12 in Hershey, Penn., before a string of European dates get underway June 28. Tickets go on sale beginning Tuesday for American Express and Beyhive fan club members, and to the general public starting Feb. 16. [Tour dates listed below.]

But that’s not all new world leader Yoncé’s got going on – along with the tour, the singer also launched a new initiative to aid the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

“True to her life’s work of always giving back, fans will be given the opportunity to participate in Beyoncé’s #BeyGOOD initiative supporting local United Way programs,” Live Nation released in a statement, announcing that the United Way of Genesee County will partner with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint to “create a fund that will address long-term developmental, education, nutrition and health needs of the children affected by the Flint Water Crisis.”

Beyoncé last toured the USA with her husband, rapper Jay Z, on the six-week On the Run Tour in summer 2014, which was filmed for a HBO special. The Formation World Tour is her first solo jaunt since the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in 2013.

Jay Z’s Tidal Donates $1.5M to Black Lives Matter and Several Other Social Justice Organizations

By goodblacknews on February 6, 2016
468163348-deadmau5-kanye-west-jay-z-and-j-cole-onstage-at-the_1
Madonna, Deadmau5, Kanye West, Jay Z and J. Cole onstage at the Tidal launch event #TIDALforALL at Skylight at Moynihan Station on March 30, 2015, in New York City.  (JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES FOR ROC NATION)

article by Angela Bronner Helm via theroot.com

Jay Z’s fledgling music streaming platform Tidal is donating $1.5 million to Black Lives Matter and several other local and national social justice organizations from money raised at an October concert, reports Mic.

The announcement was made on Friday, the same day Trayvon Martin would have turned 21 years old. The Trayvon Martin Foundation will receive a portion of the monies.
Tidal raised the funds at its Tidal X: 10/20 charity concert at Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Barclay Center. The live-streamed show featured Jay, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Usher, T.I. and Damian Marley, among others.
The October concert was billed as a fundraiser for the New World Foundation, which will distribute the funds.
The nonprofits that will share the bounty include national organizations such as Opportunity Agenda, and Sankofa.org, as well as local grassroots groups such as Hands Up United, in Ferguson, Mo.; Dream Defenders in Tallahassee, Fla.; the Black Youth Project 100 in Chicago; the Baltimore Justice Fund; the Ohio Students Association and Million Hoodies and the Justice League in New York City.
Donations will also be given to organizations created by the families of victims of police brutality, including the Trayvon Martin Foundation, the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Ours Sons and Daughters Foundation and the Oscar Grant Foundation.
Read more at Mic.